Singapore legislation
Section 71
Section 71
Complaints about provisions or water
(1)
If 3 or more crew members employed on a ship consider that the provisions or water provided for the crew members employed on that ship are not in accordance with the regulations made under section 70 (whether because of bad quality, unfitness for use or deficiency in quantity) they may complain to the master of the ship who must investigate the complaint.
(2)
If the crew members are dissatisfied with the action taken by the master as a result of his or her investigation or by his or her failure to take any action, they may state their dissatisfaction to the master and may complain to the Director; and thereupon the master must make adequate arrangements to enable the crew members to do so as soon as the service of the ship permits.
(3)
The Director must, upon receiving the complaint made under subsection (2), investigate the complaint and may examine the provisions or water or cause them to be examined.
(4)
If the master of a ship, without reasonable cause, fails to comply with subsection (2), the master shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $2,000 and if the master has been notified in writing by the person making any examination under subsection (3) that any provisions or water are found to be unfit for use or not of the quality required by the regulations, then —
if they are not replaced within a reasonable time the master or the owner of the ship (each called a defendant) shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $5,000 unless the defendant proves that the failure to replace them was not due to the defendant’s neglect or default; and
if the master of the ship, without reasonable cause, permits them to be used, the master shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $5,000.